AC Boot Badge

[289 Mk111]

Hi All , can you help....
I am building a replica of a 289 Mk111
or Sports 289 Cobra (as close as I can to COB6124) which is a UK AC built car
and am trying to find a good replica chromed AC Boot and Nose badge,
which are hard to find
All I have currently found, do not appear to be exact copies of the original parts.

I have found 2 replica badges in my search, both have a very flat bottom to the 'C'
the Left Hand one is the latest (still available and fitted to the latest AC Cars) but flatter, sharper and smaller than the
Right hand one which is from the 1990s and closer to the original.
as it is larger and sightly more rounded.

Q. Anyone know where can I get a 'Good' reproduction of the original AC badge,

thanks Steve

Replica badges...............Original Badge

[LMH]

Look up member rsk289 and send him a PM. He'll know for sure.
Larry

[289 Mk111]

thanks Larry I will try..
Steve

[Alfa02]

I brought mine from Finishline maybe 2-3 years ago, but I would say the bottom of my C is closer to the one on the right one in the first photo. I'm pleased with fit & finish. Cheers Tom.

[rsk289]

Yes, that's the only source I know of at the moment for new ones. Can't remember ever spotting one on ebay, hate to think what the price would be...

[Ozzie Goat]

I would like to find one of these

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by rsk289

Yes, that's the only source I know of at the moment for new ones. Can't remember ever spotting one on ebay, hate to think what the price would be...

The last original large AC script boot lid emblem I spotted in an ebay® listing was back in 2009 and I bought it. (The car's owner at the time was changing emblems to one of the later "COBRA" styles.)

I bet most originals once installed on new cars long ago have been discarded to be replaced with some other type emblem. The rarest original installation emblems in my holotype set were removed from cars during their first significant rebuild or "restoration". I have emblems in my holotype set removed from a Cobra as far back as 1965.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by Ozzie Goat

I would like to find one of these

More than one company has made their versions of the "SHELBY AC COBRA" emblem. None of them are very accurate. Reproductions are not uncommon in ebay® listings in the USA and UK.

I have an original in my holotype original emblem set removed from very early car in the 1960s. It is the only original piece I have ever found for sale. Most got replaced with a latter "COBRA" version at some point in time.

[Ozzie Goat]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

More than one company has made their versions of the "SHELBY AC COBRA" emblem. None of them are very accurate. Reproductions are not uncommon in ebay® listings in the USA and UK.

I have an original in my holotype original emblem set removed from very early car in the 1960s. It is the only original piece I have ever found for sale. Most got replaced with a latter "COBRA" version at some point in time.

Any chance we could use yours as a buck for a run of repros ?
I think there are companies that will replicate small runs... maybe ...

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by Ozzie Goat

Any chance we could use yours as a buck for a run of repros ?
I think there are companies that will replicate small runs... maybe ...

Not interested in risking it or chasing somebody to get the original back. The last part I allowed a company to "borrow" took more than a year of frequent reminders to get back and then the "copy" didn't have any of the details the original did. I know of people that have had to retain a lawyer and start legal proceedings to get their originals back. Original samples have gone missing in action and never found again, at least the borrower's didn't admit finding them.

One of the 'SHELBY AC COBRA' reproductions was based on a casting a master off an original but like a copy of a copy of a facsimile each casting step blurred details. The originals have some fine art that would probably require a pattern maker to use an original to recreate the art.

[289 Mk111]

The Search goes on...

If any one has the opportunity to replicate an original AC Script, Put me down for One or Two....

Cheers Chaps.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

Not interested in risking it or chasing somebody to get the original back. The last part I allowed a company to "borrow" took more than a year of frequent reminders to get back and then the "copy" didn't have any of the details the original did. I know of people that have had to retain a lawyer and start legal proceedings to get the originals back.

One of the 'SHELBY AC COBRA' reproductions was based on a casting a master off an original but like a copy of a copy of a facsimile each casting step blurred details. The originals have some fine art that would probably require a pattern maker to use an original to recreate the art.

Dan,

You could have it scanned digitally and use the file for reproduction. If you can find a service locally the part would never be out of your control.


Yes, I have had a similar experience with a loaned part.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Dan,

You could have it scanned digitally and use the file for reproduction. If you can find a service locally the part would never be out of your control.


Yes, I have had a similar experience with a loaned part.

Besides wildly varying colors of paints used in "copies" none of them I have examined have made more than a token attempt to recreate the simulated snake skin background pattern in the SHELBY and COBRA text and behind the AC text. To make a really good engineering study would most likely removing the original paint to get access to the pattern detail....if one wanted an excellent recreation.

This emblem was removed from an early CSX20xx car by its owner in the 1960s as he replaced it with one of the versions of "COBRA" emblem. It was given to one of his friends. I was in the friend's tool box for several decades laying face down and that is why there is so much damage to the chromium plating.

[Dan Case]

Circa 1971 I answered an advertisement in the local news paper for a COBRA lettered intake manifold. It was cheap so I went to see it in person. It was cheap but it was not in very good condition. Before I left the seller told me that he had something I might like to see. He literally came back out of his house with a sock. In that sock was a pristine S1CS-C ‘COBRA’ emblem (Mr. Brock’s design). I tried to buy it but he would not price it. Sometime later the seller called me to come get it (for a price). I bought it.

Anyway, with that first emblem purchase, I got the idea that I would collect one ORIGINAL of every emblem installed on new Cobras. I had no idea what kind of learning experience, costs in time and money, and frustrations was about to happen. So since that summer circa 1971 I have hunted for, posted want advertisements, visited car owners, visited former Cobra owners, visited restoration shops, and watched for original emblems. Before long that meant including street and race new Cobras at AC Cars, Ed Hugus’ shop, and Shelby American. I am still hunting. There are just two items I have never come across that I could buy or trade for.

The holotype or type set of emblems (and chromated push nuts) below is the significant part of the type set for Cobras (CSX2xxx, COB/COX60xx chassis) I have collected. I included a windscreen maker’s tag just as a good place to keep such an easy to misplace item. Not shown is the one metal tag I have never located (don’t have one) or the two common large ‘COBRA’ stickers (my little display case got too small years ago) Shelby American often used on race cars in place of pinned on metal pieces. Also not shown is a Version 1 of the S1CS-B emblem (do not have one) or a Version 3 of the S1CS-B emblem, again my little display case became too small.

Top Row Left to Right:
Solid ‘AC’ front end solid disc mascot, originally installed by AC Cars on CSX2033.

Large script ‘AC’ boot lid mascot, originally installed by AC Cars on a COB60xx chassis.

S1CS-A ‘SHELBY AC COBRA’ front and rear mascot, originally installed on a CSX20xx chassis.
Note: Early cars finished in Ed Hugus’ shop retained the AC Cars installed emblems and one each S1CS-A emblems were added near each AC Cars part.

Second Row Left to Right:
New old stock ‘POWERED BY FOR EMBLEM’ (the only one I have ever found in new condition still)
Note: Over the production time period there were variations in the metal escutcheon and foil insert.

Elliott windscreen frame maker’s tag removed from a CSX23xx chassis.

Version 2 of the S1CS-B design (commissioned by Mr. Shelby).
Note: There were three versions of the S1CS-B part were used in production and two of them were sold as service parts as late as 1968. Version 1 had smooth chromium plating. Legend says Mr. Shelby thought they were too expensive so he had a cheaper brushed satin chromium plating version created. A second legend says that management Ford Motor Company thought that the brushed version looked cheap and told Shelby American to go back to the first version. Smooth chrome plating returned but an apparent change in processing details created a slightly different new third version. Version 1 used in production originally is very rare now in any condition. Large numbers of Version 2 got left over and are widely scattered in Cobra parts circles. Version 3 parts are not plentiful but they are not super rare either as they were sold as service replacements for years. Also note that some 1963 ‘COBRA KIT’ accessory kits included a pair of this type emblem and a different push nut than used in Cobra production.

Third Row Left to Right:
2” S1CS-C ‘COBRA’ emblem (Mr. Brock’s design) removed from a new Cobra in 1965. (The emblem that started my original emblems project in the mid 1970s.) Also note that some 1964-65 ‘COBRA KIT’ accessory kits included a pair of this type emblem and a different push nut than used in Cobra production.



AC CARS LTD identification tag used on CSX2201 and later American market chassis and including CSX3xxx, COB/COX60xx, and COB/COX61xx chassis. Original tag for COB6120
Note: Shelby American normally left the AC Cars tag on 427 Cobra chassis through the CSX31xx range. On later 427 Cobra chassis Shelby American normally replaced the AC tag with one of their various versions.

Fourth Row Left to Right
Special dichromated Tinnerman® brand push on nuts for use against aluminum coachwork. These two were originally installed on CSX3298.

New old stock ‘1965 Tag’. Shelby American sent out a letter to dealers dated September 1, 1964 along with a supply of these tags. Dealers were instructed to install one of these tags on the car to assist buyers in registering their new Cobras as 1965 models. When one of these letters surfaced identifying the chassis it and the tag was sent for came to light we suddenly got a good idea how so many cars made at any time since 1962 got a ‘1965 COBRA’ tag….it was up to dealers. Ah ha! This new old stock tag was kept by a dealer’s salesman as a souvenir until I managed to make connection with him and buy it. The original tags are fragile and the text damages easily. I have the tag in an archival safe sleeve inside the display case.

Owners tag. Dealers sent names of new Cobra buyers in and Shelby American had tags engraved with the original buyer’s name. Tags were mailed to the dealer. It was apparently up to the dealer to get the tags to the car buyer. Over the years I have seen very few original tags even on original owner Cobras. This tag in this image is a reproduction made by SAAC decades ago. Since this picture was taken I located a new old stock one to replace it with. Again it was a day one souvenir but instead of a salesman it was kept by a former Shelby American employee until I connected with him.



Like most Cobra subjects, nothing is simple about emblems related to Cobras.

[rsk289]

You won't get a much more complete answer than that, thanks Dan.

Just a small point - COB cars, for the UK market, did not have the 'Powered by Ford' badges on the front wings.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by rsk289

You won't get a much more complete answer than that, thanks Dan.

Just a small point - COB cars, for the UK market, did not have the 'Powered by Ford' badges on the front wings.

You are welcome.

Not every CSX2xxx American market car was fitted with "POWERED BY FORD" wing emblems. If race cars had them they were usually moved to directly over the front wing vents and at least one street car had them over the vents.

As I say, almost no subject relative to Cobras is simple. For example: A comprehensive exhibit illustrating the known variations "POWERED BY FORD" emblem assemblies original to at least one Cobra might take up more space than my little display case from the 1970s will hold.

[morgy]

I am still desperately searching for an Original AC script boot badge for my 1967 289 Sports..

[migge]

What about this one?

[xb-60]

Looks OK.
More details?

Cheers,
Glen

[migge]

Bought it a few years ago on a auto jumble. Was painted black!! Paint came off easily because the painter didn't sand down the chrome. It has a few minor scratches but is in really good condition otherwise, chrome is okay.